WindowBuilder + SmartGWT 3.0?

[kolban]

Hi guys. I am a relatively new GWT developer but long time UI developer. As I evaluate a variety of Web based UI frameworks, what drew me to GWT was the ability to visually design my applications using an IDE. My alternative was Dojo but its lack of IDE was a show stopper. To my mind, attempting to build UIs at the "code" level is a major step backwards. The WindowBuilder environment feels perfect for what I need and from what I saw, the pre 3.0 SmartGWT support was fine.

As an example consumer, I'd like to vote for WindowBuilder support for SmartGWT.

Isomorphic,
Can you help me understand more about the recommendation not to use a visual IDE to build my apps? What would you suggest I use to rapidly build UIs? Are you really suggesting a Java source code editor to edit, run, look-see what I want to change and then repeat? As I get into more detailed activies, I find that WindowBuilder pretty much shows me in real-time what my end UI visuals will look like. If I want to nudge pixels, or tweak CSS and see the results, I'd really like to avoid edit/compile/run cycles.

Neil (IBM)

[aranda.jc]

A mi me servía de sobremanera, independientemente de la discusión que traen. Es una lástima que por ahora no esté disponible.

Saludos

[Isomorphic]

Eric, what you consider data binding is very different from how SmartGWT does data binding. We perceive adding SmartGWT data binding as tantamount to a rewrite or at least major surgery to GWTD, with an end result of questionable value: we focus on sophisticated enterprise applications and most such applications have extremely data-driven UIs, only small parts of which could realistically be created in a visual tool.

For this reason we perceive the value as low for the majority of our customers, who have other priorities they are rather clear about. But the community is certainly welcome to pick up the tool if there is a niche for it, and we'll assist any serious efforts.

Scott, Visual Builder is not an IDE and has a very specific purpose, explained in the FAQ, for which nothing based on Eclipse will ever be suitable, at least not for the forseeable future. Again, for developers, our recommendation is to use Eclipse or other IDEs and simply not use GWTD. As it stands, GWTD is simply not as productive as direct use of the data binding system within Eclipse.

Also, please stay away from the spectacularly absurd implication that we are somehow failing to support customers by declining to pick up a third party codebase that takes an approach we would not have taken. Evidence of our vigorous support of our products is visible all over this forum as well as in the huge range of new functionality introduced in every release.

[Eric Clayberg (Google)]

I'm trying to use the latest version of WindowBuilder (2011.10.18) with the latest version of SmartGWT (3.0).
Opening a view class in the designer, though, I'm presented with the error message:
"WindowBuilder supports only SmartGWT versions 2.4, 2.5. But 3.0 found."

Is there a way to work around this? Do you know if there is a patch for WindowBuilder underway?

That will depend on the SmartGWT developers (or any community members that want to use it). We (Google) have no plans to provide support for SmartGWT 3.0 on our end. On-going support for SmartGWT is a big project, and now that GWT Designer is open source along with the rest of the Google Plugin for Eclipse (GPE), this is a project more appropriate for the SmartGWT team to undertake (and I encourage them to do so). In fact, our position going forward is that 3rd party component providers should provide GWTD support on their end as they are in the best position to do so.

I should also point out that WindowBuilder/GWT Designer has had very nice support for data binding for several years. We currently support data binding for SWT, Swing and GXT. Adding support for the SmartGWT data binding framework is probably doable as well.

[skitchin]

Yes, the fix is on the WindowBuilder side. We didn't write the code, and it seems to rely on various internals. For the reasons we explained before, it's not currently something we're excited to go fix, as we feel we have more effective tools already. However, WindowBuilder is now open source and so is SmartGWT, so you can actually add support if you feel you really need it.

I have to disagree. To be honest, I'm not too impressed with Isomorphic's Visual Builder since its not a true IDE application since it's more designed for someone who has little programming experience. It lacked several important features such as debugging, code watch, CVS, Maven, Ant, and other useful plugins. Personally, I think Isomorphic should abandon Visual Builder and focus on building a plugin for Eclipse's WindowBuilder or NetBeans since majority of Java programmers use those two IDEs.

It's not Google's responsibility to provide support for SmartGWT so ultimately it falls on Isomorphic's shoulders to provide support for their customers.

[skitchin]

Here's the fix for com.google.gdt.eclipse.designer.SmartGWT_2.4.2.r37x201110181249.jar

-----

Index: src / com / google / gdt / eclipse / designer / smart / parser / ClassLoaderValidator.java
================================================== =================
--- Src / com / google / gdt / eclipse / designer / smart / parser / ClassLoaderValidator.java (revision 22)
+ + + Src / com / google / gdt / eclipse / designer / smart / parser / ClassLoaderValidator.java (working copy)
@ @ -35,8 +35,8 @ @
* @ Coverage SmartGWT
* /
public final class ClassLoaderValidator implements IClassLoaderValidator {
- Private static final String [] VALID_VERSIONS = {"2.4", "2.5"};
- Private static final String VALID_VERSIONS_STRING = "2.4, 2.5";
+ Private static final String [] VALID_VERSIONS = {"2.4", "2.5", "3.0"};
+ Private static final String VALID_VERSIONS_STRING = "2.4, 2.5, 3.0";

[Isomorphic]

Yes, the fix is on the WindowBuilder side. We didn't write the code, and it seems to rely on various internals. For the reasons we explained before, it's not currently something we're excited to go fix, as we feel we have more effective tools already. However, WindowBuilder is now open source and so is SmartGWT, so you can actually add support if you feel you really need it.

[joe.parks@hyperproductive.com]

I'm sure I sound obtuse, but this worked before updating to v3.0.
Maybe the fix is more on the windowbuilder side, though.

[Isomorphic]

A workaround enabling you to do something in a worse and slower way? No, before we would recommend such a tool over the more productive approaches covered in the QuickStart Guide, we would need to augment it a lot (eg make databinding part of the tool itself, as it is in Visual Builder).

[joe.parks@hyperproductive.com]

I appreciate the recommendation, but does that mean that there is no planned fix or workaround?

[Isomorphic]

We currently don't recommend using WindowBuilder / GWT Designer with SmartGWT, since it encourages you to hand-create and hand-place controls that SmartGWT's data binding system generates and places automatically, which leads to extra effort and unnecessary code. More background here.

[joe.parks@hyperproductive.com]

I'm trying to use the latest version of WindowBuilder (2011.10.18) with the latest version of SmartGWT (3.0).
Opening a view class in the designer, though, I'm presented with the error message:
"WindowBuilder supports only SmartGWT versions 2.4, 2.5. But 3.0 found."

Is there a way to work around this? Do you know if there is a patch for WindowBuilder underway?